Nagaya shinshiroku (Record of a Tenement Gentleman) (1947)
-
100% of critics liked it
(10 reviews) -
86% of users liked it
(722 ratings)
In this classic shomin-geki ("story of middle-class life"), Ozu relates the slightly comic tale of a boy abandoned by his parents in postwar Japan. After his desertion, the little boy is discovered by a "tenement gentleman," who, in a gesture of kindness, decides to bring the boy… More In this classic shomin-geki ("story of middle-class life"), Ozu relates the slightly comic tale of a boy abandoned by his parents in postwar Japan. After his desertion, the little boy is discovered by a "tenement gentleman," who, in a gesture of kindness, decides to bring the boy back home with him. His kindness stops short of adopting the boy, however, and his roommate refuses to let the boy live in their apartment. Not wanting to forsake the child again, the tenement gentleman gathers the neighbors together and they draw straws to determine who will take care of him. The shortest straw belongs to a very unwilling middle-aged woman who lives alone and has little desire to take in an orphan. Nevertheless, her neighbors prevail upon her and the boy becomes her responsibility. After a series of misadventures, mostly involving the boy's bedwetting, a close relationship develops between the two and the woman comes to love him. Just as their bond solidifies, the boy's father returns and the unlikely adoptive pair are forced to part. At the film's end, the woman, moved by her experience with the young boy, opens a center for war orphans. ~ Brian Whitener, Rovi
- Directed By
- Yasujiro Ozu
- Written By
- Yasujiro Ozu, Tadao Ikeda
- Genres
- Art House & International, Drama
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 1947 Wide
- Studio
- Criterion Collection
Critic Reviews
-
Tim Purtell, Entertainment Weekly
[The film] may be slow-moving by Hollywood standards, but Record of a Tenement Gentleman rewards patience with rich sentiment that's never mawkish.
-
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
This is Ozu in optimistic mood, which is not to say that loss and resignation don't figure in large part (no film-maker ever had a surer grasp of the melancholy of everyday things), just that here the generosity of spirit seems irresistible.
-
Joan Mellen, New York Times
Curtain after curtain is lifted as this formidable film exposes a Japan unknown to most.
-
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
A warm comedy of life in postwar Japan, warm in the way only Yasujiro Ozu's cold and formal style can be.
-
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Thanks to Ozu's sympathetic direction, his deep understanding of human behavior, and the surprising amount of comedy, it's both moving and very funny.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
Featured Audience Ratings
Currently unavailable on Flixster
Also available on
Other Retailers
Not Available
Not Available
Not Available
Subscription Services
Not Available
Not Available
Not Available
